


The Comedown and the Comeback

by PaperAnn



Series: PaperAnn's Kink Bingo 2017 Works [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abuse of Angelic Grace, Anal Sex, Barebacking, Bottom Sam, Canon Universe, Cock Rings, Confessions, Explicit Sexual Content, Gabriel Lives, Grace Kink, Jealous Gabriel (Supernatural), M/M, Possessive Gabriel (Supernatural), Reunions, Rough Sex, Sam is a Little Shit, Shameless Smut, Soulless Sam Winchester, Supernatural Kink Bingo 2017, Top Gabriel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2018-12-04 02:35:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11545680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaperAnn/pseuds/PaperAnn
Summary: Part OneAfter narrowly escaping death, Gabriel has made it his duty to watch over The Cage to make sure no idiots try to pop it open again. Except all too soon, he feels a massive disruption and when he goes to follow whatever crawled out...he finds Sam Winchester has escaped.Besides the fact it should beimpossible,the hunter should be a basket-case after Lucifer's torment, something else is wrong. Something’s different about him. When Gabriel reaches out with his grace to find a clue, he shockingly realizes the kid has no soul. And Sam's reaction to his angelic exploring…isn’t what he was expecting. Oh, Gabriel isnotdisappointed.Part TwoHeaven is in the middle of a Civil War. The King of Hell is in cahoots with a certain baby bro—and Sam’s sexdrive is insatiable! Gabriel is trying as hard as he can to get Sam’s soul back while dodgingeveryone.When he finally catches a break, like clockwork, Sam’s in his head with filthy demands and pleas. When Gabriel doesn’t answer right away and then he hears Sam’s prayers broadcasting all over Angel Radio? Gabriel is seething, that is not gonna fucking fly! Sam needs to be taught patience, soulless or not.





	1. Grace Kink

**Author's Note:**

> Written for SPN Kink Bingo 2017  
> Square Filled: Grace Kink
> 
> Thank you to my baby [GlitchedWings](https://idjitsaviors.tumblr.com/), who's working side by side with me on this challenge and kicking ass! Love ya, darling! <3

It had been damn tricky, double-faking his own death.  In fact, it took a _damn_ long time for Gabriel to regain the energy and power that he’d lost from managing to actually pull it off.  Sure, Lucifer had taken out his ‘archangel half,’ but his residual Pagan energy (his premeditated fail-safe) was tucked away and hidden someplace in-between worlds.  He had to tap into that power to regenerate, to even begin to jump start his grace.

Once he’d made a comeback, he kept his head down.  Maybe Gabriel was a bit surprised that the world was still turning without half of it wiped out.  It was around that time he’d heard rumors that his little suicide message to the Winchesters had worked.  The war _wasn’t_ being waged, his brother wasn’t a threat any longer, they’d actually won.

The parts that made up the key had been gathered, locked and loaded, and Lucifer was stuffed back in his box, Hellbound for eternity.

Unfortunately, something that actually stabbed Gabriel pretty damn deep was the fact that the youngest Winchester had been the one to save the day.  He jumped his sexy ass into the cage while holding Lucifer at bay, and that in itself was really fucking impressive.

But still a shame, really.  That tall, dashing Moose of a man, gone?  Gabriel was disappointed.  He’d taken a shine to him, and even though—yeah, he’d saved the world—that’s _not_ how it should have gone down.  That’s not how you rewarded those brave enough to put themselves on the line and stop the Devil from destroying the world.  But when was anything fair, right?

So Gabriel made a deal with himself.  Obviously, he was gonna stay hidden.  That wasn’t changing anytime soon, and he liked it much, much better this way.  Because of all the sacrifices, all the people who had been lost mindlessly because of his brothers and their temper tantrums, he was going to make it his duty: no one would ever get the chance to try and spring Lucifer from that damn cage again.  He had a gut feeling some angels would cry in a corner about it, some may even have the balls to make moves for an encore.  
  
Gabriel wouldn’t let that happen.  Hell no.

He’d still go about his business.  It wasn’t as though he’d stand a silent vigil over the thing until the end of fuckin’ time, but he had any entrance or exit warded.  Invisible to all angels, demons, fuckin’ fairies and wizards.  No one could see those markings, they were a special hybrid of Enochian and old Celtic only he was privy to.  But the moment someone got too close, Gabriel would be able to feel the alarms go off in his head like a siren flashing.

Only, he didn’t expect for one to go off so damn soon!

He was on high-alert, trying to figure out exactly what the fuck happened, because when he made a drive-by (fly-by) Lucifer and Michael, their essence was _still_ in the cage.  So what the hell had _escaped_?  
  
That was the thing that made Gabriel’s stomach sink, the warding told him something had crawled out of Hell, and that shouldn’t have been possible!  While he was armed and ready for a fight, he wasn’t ready to see one of his brothers if they’d managed to cloak their presence somehow, not now, possibly not friggin ever again!

When he zoomed beyond the Earth’s crust, taking a back road past the demon’s guard posts and touched down, Gabriel could feel the remnants of something angelic lingering around his sigils, which meant another angel had been here.  Who knew if they were trying to jump-start a replay of Doomsday, mourning their fallen brothers, but whatever they tried: it failed.

…Or did it?

Gabriel crouched down and placed his hand over the largest marking, the one that powered up the rest and concentrated.  While he couldn’t get any images, he could get a read on something that wasn’t an angel, it was… human?  What the actual fuck?  How could they drag a human—

Sam.

With wide eyes, Gabriel frantically took flight from where he’d been lingering in Hell because there was no friggin way.  No possible way, whatsoever, that the kid had escaped without losing his marbles.  He had to be a hot mess, some kind of head case just roaming around… it had to have been Castiel or even Dean summoning a more powerful angel to get the job done.  But at what cost had they brought him back?

He could be comatose, hurting frightfully, a prisoner inside a tortured, shattered mind because Lucifer wouldn’t let him go a moment without destroying him from the inside out.  Gabriel knew damn well that after losing the battle, Sam was the prime target.  Maybe even a source of anger for Michael.  Now, Gabriel had to find him.  
  
He owed it to the kid.

He and Sam had gotten a little closer than…well, _anyone_ knew.    
  
It happened right after Gabriel came out as an archangel.  At first, it began with Sam ranting and raving at him through prayer.  Demanding his help, determined that Gabriel was the missing piece to saving them, saving the damn world.  Every time, he’d turn the kid down.  But that didn’t mean the visits weren’t enjoyable.

Sure, he loathed the disappointment in those puppy eyes, but he wasn’t going up against his brother!  Would he ask Sam to do the same?  If Dean was acting like an idiot, would he be the one to put him down?  Ironic.  How, in the end, Gabriel had done just that and turned on his own family.  He took it even further, and had given them the means to pop Lucifer back in the cage.

Now, Gabriel was desperately searching for the shell of a broken man, probably terrified and alone—

He got a hit.

Motel room, North Carolina.

Gabriel was still trying to figure out how to handle this, how to even approach this, when he appeared at the door.  But before he could knock, it was swinging open, almost slamming into his skull.

He was face to face with _not_ a shallow mess of a sniveling human, as he’d predicted, but…Sam Winchester, looking like he was going to run an errand?  His jaw dropped and he was in utter shock because none of this made a damn bit of sense, it—

“Gabriel?” Sam squinted, grabbing his jacket and unceremoniously hauling him inside.

But it wasn’t for a reunion, it was for a splash of holy water to the face, a slash of a silver blade and even more salt apparently for good measure.  The hell—

“How are you alive?!” Sam demanded with skepticism.

Gabriel countered with, “I could say the same about you!”

“Woah, woah!  Okay,” he took a deep breath and said, “So you dying was a _trick_?  Was it _another_ coward’s way out?”

“Oh, no you don’t,” Gabriel narrowed his eyes dangerously and had to restrain himself from shoving the hunter’s shoulder.  “My angelic side?  Was done for.  I had to pull from my Pagan roots to even get a slight _flicker_ of life!  Only got back to full power recently!  Now, _you_!  How the fuck are you here?!  And not drooling and rocking in a ball in the corner?!  What happened in Hell?!”

“I…” he paused and offered a shrug, “I was just back.  That’s really all I know.”

“Just back?” Gabriel deadpanned.  “It doesn’t work that way.  Sit down.”

Sam looked wary until Gabriel started to move in and corner him.  He finally (petulantly) took a seat at the table where his laptop was sitting.  “Just hurry this up, I’ve got things to do.”

“Trust me, this is more important.  Damn, were you always this much of a brat?” the archangel scoffed and reached out to place his hand over Sam’s chest.  “Just relax, let me in, okay?”

“Never been a problem before,” Sam quipped and Gabriel didn’t even bother with a response.

Cheeky _and_ pushy.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, allowing his grace to wash over the human’s body and look for any physical damage to the vessel first.  There was a golden light blooming softly within the room that illuminated both of them, and once Gabriel confirmed his body was real, he dove deeper.  Everything inside was working, everything was—

Woah.  Wait.

He stopped and zoomed in on something both startling, shocking, yet it solved all his questions at the same time.

Sam Winchester was missing something, and it was _huge_.  It was the only thing that made sense, and he hurt for the kid, because that meant one thing—it had been left behind in the cage.  Who ever made the play to resurrect him forgot his damn soul!

The Sam sitting in front of him was, indeed, a _version_ of Sam, but one who wasn’t led by his heart.  He had a brain, he knew all the things that Sam knew, everything he had done, the way that he could handle himself, but… _no soul._

Fuck!

Gabriel retracted his grace, the brilliant light in the room dimmed and he was trying to figure out how to break it to the kid.  He had a feeling Sam was in the dark, waking up on Earth, in his words: just ‘being back,’ and now he had to deal with this?  Except, when Gabriel opened his eyes, he was taken off guard by the sight in front of him.

There was a thin sheen of sweat across Sam’s brow, he was breathing heavily and his eyes were hungry when he mumbled out, “Holy shit…”

“Uh,” Gabriel took a step back, unsure what was happening, and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m better than okay.  Gabriel, I need _more_.  You’ve been holding out of me.  Fuck,” Sam huffed, viscerally affected, and the archangel had never witnessed this reaction from anyone to grace, let alone _his_ grace.    
  
But then again, now that he thought about it… he’d never really touched anyone with it, especially on such an invasive level.  Let alone Sam, but still…

Sam was fearless as he stood back up and pulled him into a rough, heated kiss.

Gabriel’s first reaction was to go with it, because, hell, if he hadn’t missed Sam’s lips for the very few times he’d known them.  But then again (damn conscience) he didn’t want to be taking advantage of him, it was walking a _very_ fine line.  He couldn’t have anticipated this, he couldn’t have—

He pushed Sam back to put a bit of distance between them, trying to figure a way out of the situation.  “Hey, I didn’t mean for that to happen, it wasn’t supposed to.  You were headed out the door for something—”

“Yeah,” was Sam’s dark response as he chuckled and explained, “I was headed to the bar to get laid.”  He roughly grabbed Gabriel’s wrist and pulled his hand to cup the front of his jeans, a fully-hard erection under his palm when Sam said, “I think I found what I need right here.”

It felt like the rug was ripped out from under him because this Sam was shameless and didn’t hesitate when Gabriel paused to think up a response.  In fact, Sam started undressing, right in front of him.

“Come on, Gabriel,” Sam’s voice was husky and seductive, jacket and shirt gone, “I remember how much you loved my body.  How much you loved pulling my hair while you fucked me.  Let’s make this a reunion to remember.”

It wasn’t until his jeans were gone and Sam ripped off Gabriel’s coat that he remembered who he was.  And wondered—since _when_ should he take the moral high road?  Sure, later he could worry about rescuing Sam’s soul, but this was, _very much_ , a version of Sam.  It was Sam without the sticky feelings.  The way he’d responded to Gabriel was fucking beautiful.

In fact…

Sam gasped and nearly doubled over as Gabriel rolled his fingers and sent a wave of grace brushing over his naked skin—just along the surface, but it was enough to leave him momentarily reeling.  His eyes darkened and he stared at Gabriel with a wild hunger, but Sam didn’t know the score—Sam would _always_ be Gabriel's feast.

In fact, with a snap, Gabriel launched Sam backwards and flat onto the bed as he took his time undressing himself.

“Gabriel!” Sam shouted from where he was suddenly restrained.  The hot, charged sensation he had a new-found fascination with wrapped tightly around his wrists and ankles, pinning him down.

“Yes?” Gabriel asked innocently, walking slowly over to the bed to stare him down, “Aren’t you just perfect, spread out for me like this?”

“Heh.”  With a chuckle, Sam purposefully licked his lips and asked, “What are you planning on doing with me?”

“Most anything I want.”  Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed and concentrated his power along his fingertips, raking his nails along the hunter’s sides, seeing thrill shoot through Sam's spine.  “Oh, if only I’d have known sooner.  The fun we could’ve had.”

Another long moan was stolen from Sam’s chest, writhing from where he was pinned.  “It’s just as much your fault as mine.  But, fuck, I want you.”

In a flash, Gabriel was above him, hovering just out of reach with the mischievous question of, “Me or my grace?” teasing the man underneath him.

Sam’s eyes doubled and he tried to grab him, only to be reminded that, yes, he couldn’t.  So he had to play the game.  “Either?  Both?  I…” he paused when he admitted, “I missed you.”

Gabriel found that intriguing.  A soulless human didn’t have the capacity to feel those things, but perhaps that was a memory Sam had from before.  Maybe he was saying the words because his brain told him he was supposed to.  Either way, Gabriel responded with, “I’m flattered.  Proud’a you saving the world.  How ever shall I reward you?” he pitched his voice low and crawled down Sam’s body to grab the elastic of his boxers.

There was a moment where Sam held his breath, thinking Gabriel was going to tug them off, but that’s not how the archangel worked.  He snapped his fingers and they melted away from his body.

The cool air hit Sam’s cock and he bucked off the bed when Gabriel wrapped his mouth around it not a second later.  He had missed the way Sam tasted, and Gabriel wasted no time because he didn’t have to be patient, not when he already heard the moans coming from the kid.  He was prepared to relax his throat, and let Sam fuck his face to his heart’s content.  After all, he’d get what he wanted soon enough.  And watching Sam?  He was gorgeous out of control like this.  He couldn’t get enough of it.

“G-Gabriel,” he panted out, begging, “C’mon, gimme more of it.  That rush, t-that _feeling_.”  He writhed and arched into his mouth with abandon, Gabriel finding it intriguing that even though Sam had his dick fully fucked down Gabriel’s throat, this brat was _still_ demanding.

So he popped off his cock, completely.

He shook his head and with faux-disappointment clucked his tongue.  “Naughty, needy and ungrateful.  What a combination.  Apparently,” Gabriel moved back up Sam’s body, “you’ve completely forgotten how this works.  Now, I’m gonna give you this _one_ free pass, but you need to be better behaved, Sammy.”

It looked like he had to physically bite his lip to keep from snapping back, but at least he could follow directions.  Soul or not.  Gabriel was mesmerized with this… _version_ of Sam.  He knew the soulless.  In his experience, most others would enact their darkest thoughts, become killers and criminals, give into their sins— _S_ _am_ had been headed to the bar to get laid.

Yet the tables turned, now once again faced with Gabriel and the addition of his grace—Sam was hooked.  He could see Sam’s sharp mind trying to deduce the quickest and easiest way for Gabriel to give him what he wanted.

Which Gabriel found rather pointless, because he wasn’t holding out, he never did.  Sam should know by now that any kind of teasing eventually ended with both their satisfaction and gratification.  Gabriel was not all talk—he _always_ gave it to the hunter.  Some times sooner than others.

With a single near-violent kiss, Gabriel could feel Sam’s desperation when he crashed their mouths together, even though he was trying to be good.

He deserved a reward.

While Gabriel lowered his hand between Sam’s legs, now that it was on his mind he casually said, “I’m sorry to ruin your plans.  Were you looking for a pretty girl to bring back here and fuck, kiddo?” and pressed the tip of his finger against Sam’s hole.

He tensed, face flashing confusion when he started to say, “I’d rather it be—” but then a shout was ripped from his chest, Gabriel smirking impishly.

The archangel didn’t bother with lube, because he had something _better_.  Instead of snapping some up to coat his fingers and stretch Sam open for his cock, he used his grace.  The energy worked as a healing and relaxing force at the same time, allowing Gabriel’s fingers access to scissor him open, to dare to move faster than he ever had before, and Sam… well, Sam was somewhere _else_.

He was trying to push against Gabriel’s fingers, rocking and bending his body to get any brush of the grace he could - because now that it was inside of him, inside his body?  It was unimaginable, the way it felt.  Sam’s cock was dripping precum, and it was oozing down his stomach, he was so damn aroused.

And, fuck, if Gabriel’s own dick was pulsing and throbbing watching Sam completely lose control.

He was a fanatic, chasing after every little stroke of grace he could get his hands (or rather, his ass) on.  The way he struggled against the confines, the way he was a fighting tooth and nail to experience more of Gabriel’s very core _essence,_ was absolutely stunning.

“Holy shit, Gabriel, y-you feel amazing, I told you, need more,” Sam stared him down with a desperate, urgent expression, one that was meant for Gabriel and no one else.  “Please, _please_ , tell me you can fuck me and let me feel it, too,” he outright whimpered.  “I need _you_ , and I need _this_ _—_ ”

A smirk spread on Gabriel’s face, and the sweet sounds of begging egged him on.  With another sweep of grace to relax Sam’s body, he mischievous asked, “How much more can you take?” pushing in a forth finger.

Sam’s eyes widened as he gasped, thrusting up wildly as Gabriel twisted all four fingers around inside him.  His grace did the job, (hell, it was the only thing making this all possible) because Gabriel was greedy, he wanted to see Sam come undone.  When he continued to push the envelope and, in turn, pushed the digits inside, all the way up to his knuckles, it looked like Sam was going to lose it.

“Mm, how does that feel, Sammy?” Gabriel purred, and said, “That stretch, all ready for my cock.  Or…“ his eyes lit up devilishly, “I could even fist you, since you love my grace so much, you're being so greedy—”

With a dropped jaw, Sam shook his head and barked out, “Fuck me, Gabriel.  I miss it, I c'mon, I miss you, I—”

“Even though I’m on the fence when it comes to that,” Gabriel chuckled and withdrew, “I know damn well you missed my cock.”  He snapped, the invisible restraints holding Sam back now dissolving away.  “Tell me how you want it—”

Before he could fully finish the sentence, Sam launched on him.

He kissed him with a breath-taking desire, which was another thing that caught Gabriel by surprise.  Sam’s goal _should_ be to get off, and that was it.  He didn’t need foreplay, but damn, if their tongues brushing together didn’t feel amazing.  Not only that, but he was getting nostalgic...fuck!

And it made him want to satisfy Sam even more.  Make him drown in pleasure he couldn’t escape from.  Gabriel knew what made Sam tick, and as they heatedly clashed in this passionate frenzy of tongues and teeth—Gabriel had an idea.

An idea of how to give Sam the illusion of control, and then rip it away.

“How about you sit on my cock?” Gabriel lewdly challenged in-between rough (glorious) kisses.  “How about you ride me and show me how much you missed me.  And I’ll give you your fix, you damn addict.”

Sam pulled away and his eyes were wild from the mere thought.  “Hell yeah, I wanna,” he said, and eagerly moved in time with Gabriel, switching their positions.  Sam sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, openly staring as Gabriel relaxed back on the mattress and got ready below him, while Sam asserted, “Fuck, I need you inside me.  No one could ever fuck me, could even come close to pleasing me and making me cum like you, Gabriel.”

Gabriel grinned widely and gestured, “Hop on, kid.  I aim to please.”

Even though Sam was eager to kick a leg over Gabriel’s body, straddle his lap, once he got to that point he appeared hesitant.  Confused.

So Gabriel reached out and soothed his hands up and down Sam’s thighs, asking, “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

“It’s just…” Sam was having difficulty phrasing it, “There’s no lube.  I don’t understand how I can just ‘hop on’ like you said…”  He was _trying_ to stay in control, but the concept was difficult for him.  Sinking down on him, dry, was daunting.

“Do you trust me?” Gabriel asked honestly.  “When it comes to us, do you trust me?”  That was a much better way to phrase the question.

Sam nodded, “Yeah, I do,” and grabbed Gabriel’s dick, languidly stroking him through heavy-lidded, lustful eyes.  “God, I want it.  You, I just…”

“Then trust me on this, you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” Gabriel pressed, trying to hold back his old Trickster guise because he was waiting on bated breath.

With determination, Sam already had a hold of Gabriel’s erection and grabbed the base.  Sam had to know that his own body was ready, his hole good and stretched for this, it was the fact Gabriel wasn't slick in his hand that he was having trouble with.  As he lifted himself up off the bed and pressed Gabriel’s cockhead against his rim—

He wondered _why_ the hell he didn’t do that sooner.

“Fuck!” he shouted out, his voice bouncing off the walls because the secret ingredient that took the place of lube was a pure, raw focus of grace vibrating from Gabriel’s cock.

Before it had been brushes zinging off his fingers, it had been warm glows that made Sam shiver, but once the wonderful discovery that was Sam’s reaction to his grace had been made… well, Gabriel had an ace up his sleeve and was going to make him see stars.

Sam ground down on him, clenching around his dick, just experiencing the fact that this overwhelming concentration of grace was inside his body and it felt so damn amazing, he wasn’t sure he could even move.  From Gabriel's angle, the glorious show of Sam falling apart from just sitting on his cock looked like the kid could probably blow his load just like this—the sight made him want Sam more than ever. 

“You like that, Sammy?” Gabriel’s inquiry was dark and husky, watching Sam’s brain fizzle out.  He thrust upward into the man and hummed out, “Isn’t it fun?  This has to be some good ol’ fashioned blasphemy right here…”

When Sam moaned and tried to move, he was almost too lust-drunk to do so, Gabriel took the reins.  Just as he anticipated he would.  He grabbed onto Sam in a way that allowed him to thrust up off the bed and slam inside his lover, the friction a new element that made Sam’s body come alive.  He was watching Gabriel with awe, and the archangel couldn’t help it.

“Says something about us, doesn’t it?” he pushed off the bed just enough to capture his lips in a kiss, then started slamming into Sam’s body even harder.  “The sinners, using God-given angelic power as a source of pleasure.  Of getting you off with my grace pounding inside your tight ass, while my cock fucks you into next week.”

Sam whimpered and rocked with every clash of their hips, just along for the ride.  He could feel Gabriel keeping him upright as he _took_ and _took_ , but more than anything, set off every erogenous zone in Sam’s body, every sensitive spot that had a direct line to his dick.  This overload made Sam more than happy being used, slammed into and fucked until his insides were raw.

“N-never felt anything like this,” Sam actually pronounced, staring down at Gabriel while he was right on the edge, “Y-you’re so goddamn perfect.  You’re never leaving m-my bed.”

“Is that a fact?” Gabriel, while amused, was intrigued once more, and before he could even touch Sam’s dick to tease him, he was spilling cum over both of them.

It wasn’t a mere moan of pleasure, it was like an explosive shout from his chest, and Gabriel’s energy seemed to react to Sam just as much.  

Gabriel was caught off guard, and came _hard_ _—_ but when he did both their bodies illuminated with this golden light erupting from the inside out.  For a split-second, the angel was terrified he hadn’t controlled himself as he was supposed to, that he _may_ have overdone it and hurt Sam—

But the light shrouding Sam had him doubling over and cumming all over again.  He buckled and collapsed completely as the light dissipated around them, his body worn out and overwhelmed.    
  
Once he could catch his breath, Gabriel snapped them clean and arranged Sam on his chest into a more comfortable position.  Because… _wow_.  While he thought it would be fun toying and teasing his favorite human after his strange discovery, Gabriel had actually been just as shocked in the end.  Who knew what it was from and why it had affected him so much, but the times they’d been together before didn't even hold a candle to whatever just happened.

Hell, Sam was basically incoherent, but he held onto Gabriel with a grin.

Because he could be an overprotective jackass, as the archangel began running his hand through Sam’s hair, he asked playfully, “Think you’d find _that_ at the bar?”

Sam blinked up with bleary eyes and a grin, “Think I meant what I said.  You’re gonna end up in my bed much, much more often.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?” he wiggled his eyebrows, “’Cause I don’t know about you, but it has to be some kind of fire hazard to light up a circle of holy oil in a motel room.”

What he was really thinking about was getting to the bottom of where Sam’s soul was.  And getting it back to him.  Because, while he saw every part of Sam in the one wrapped up and holding him tightly atop his chest, Sam Winchester was _all heart_.  Which equated to the _soul_.  

Yeah, Gabriel would continue to watch over and keep this Sam out of trouble (and enjoy himself in the process), but he _needed_ to find the real one before the kid descended into madness.  That’s what the cage did—and laying here with half of Sam just rekindled the flame and the realization that, yeah, he had kind of fallen for this human.  
  
He had a new mission that was much, much more dire than simple guard duty around the cage.

“I’ll stick around more,” Gabriel said to appease the hunter.  “Do I gotcha hooked all over again?”

Sam kissed him soundly and confirmed, “I was hooked from the start.  Now?  It’s on'a completely new level.”

And, fuck, did Gabriel want to believe him.  This moment could have been perfect.  So he rolled with the punches and made the most of it.

“No creeping out to bars.”  He grabbed Sam’s chin and demanded his attention a bit more forcefully, “Remember what _I_ can give you.  What I do to you.  No one else will ever be able to make you cum as hard as I can.”

Sam’s gaze was heated when he avidly agreed, “I know.  So you better get your ass down here when I pray.  Because I can’t get enough, and you wouldn't want me to wander.”

He knew the kid said it to piss him off, to see if he could push him, and he responded in turn.  “Oh?  Wander to another angel and beg them to use their Heaven-gifted grace to plow your ass into multiple orgasms?  I’m sure _that_ will go over well,” he taunted, and ducked just enough to suck an angry bruise on the side of Sam’s neck.

Just the thought, the touch and the tone made Sam writhe and warn, “Careful.  I don’t know what’s going on or what you’re doing to me, but even just hearing those dirty words out of your mouth is starting to turn me on again.”

“Mm, such a good boy,” Gabriel kissed his forehead and hummed, “While it’s tempting, I think you need to rest.  We’ll play again soon, but I don’t know how much of a toll that took on your body.  Remember, it’s not _just_ grace, it’s archangel grace.”

“Maybe that’s why I’m already a fanatic.  Because it’s you, it’s strong, and, goddamn, you’ve always known all the right way to make me lose it,” Sam admitted, his eyes growing heavy, now that the suggestion of sleep had entered the picture.  “It’s about you and your grace, Gabriel, no one else’s.”

“How’s this?” he asked curiously and snapped his fingers, a blanket of warmth manifested from his grace in a non-sexual way, and Gabriel prayed it didn’t give the hunter a hard-on.

Instead, he sighed happily and was out like a light.  So this wasn’t a one-trick-pony, that was good to know, Gabriel thought.

The familiar pressure on his chest reminded him of a different time, but seeing as how they were both alive and kicking, Gabriel decided to let things lie.  At least for a little longer.  He could pretend that both of them had made it through the apocalypse intact and this was just another night they’d spent together.

Except Gabriel had something new to add to his Sam-arsenal.  That was just a bonus, a happy accident, and oh, would he be exploiting that later.  Hopefully, it would still work when he got Sam back into one piece and his grace wasn't merely filling in that missing part of him.  Damn right, he would put him back together, and he would do it soon—time was of the essence.


	2. Cock Rings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for SPN Kink Bingo  
> Square Filled: Cock Rings
> 
> _Summary:_ Heaven is in the middle of a Civil War. The King of Hell is in cahoots with a certain baby brother—or so Gabriel overheard. And Sam’s sexdrive is insatiable! Gabriel is trying as hard as he can to get Sam’s soul back from the Cage while staying off of _everyone’s_ radar, which is no easy task! 
> 
> When he finally catches a break to spend some quality time finding a crack or a dent, like clockwork, Sam’s in his head with filthy demands and pleas. When Gabriel doesn’t answer right away (because-hello, he’s saving the kid’s life) then he hears Sam’s prayers broadcasting all over Angel Radio? Gabriel is seething, that is not gonna fucking fly! Sam needs to be taught _patience_ , soulless or not.
> 
> _Tags for Chapter_ : Canon ‘Verse, Soulless Sam, Sam is a little Shit, Jealous/Possessive Gabriel, slightly Dom!Gabriel, Bottom Sam, Top Gabriel, Rough Sex, References to Grace Kink, Cock Rings, Barebacking
> 
>    
> All the beta love goes out to my babe [SPNgreeneyes](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spngreeneyes) for this part and the next! MUAH!

****These days, Gabriel’s priorities were a little different.

Originally, babysitting the Cage was number one on his To-Do list.  Yet things had changed.  And they’d changed damn fast.

All because of a soulless little human flouncing around, hunting like a goddamn machine.

The archangel knew that every day Sam Winchester’s soul was locked in a boxing ring with not only Lucifer, but with Michael too, was another day even more knock-out blows would be delivered, and his broken and frayed soul may be beyond repair.  Sure, the Sam walking the Earth was a _version_ of him, a Sam who liked Gabriel and his grace very, very much.  But this Sam lacked the most pivotal part of himself, of what made him _Sam_.

Gabriel wasn’t about to stand by as that unique part was ripped to shreds.

The thing was, there was a war in Heaven.  Flying under the radar was more important now, than it had ever been.  One of the times he’d taken the back route into Hell, he’d stumbled across something very curious, if not concerning.  It looked like his little brother, Castiel, was teaming up with the self-proclaimed King of Hell.  

So now Downstairs was on lock-down too.  Things were tricky in the worst ways and Gabriel was looking over his shoulder for angels, demons, friggin _everything_ while he navigated these new passages as he descended into Hell’s deep—it was damn near impossible!

This clusterfuck made it a different kind of hell for Gabriel to move around, disguised or not, to the place he needed to be.  By the Cage.  Searching desperately for a weak spot.

Not to mention, friggin Sam was going nuts with his damn prayers!  Every time he got back from a hunt which was on a constant loop (Gabriel had been optimistic to think there wasn’t going to be bloodlust in Sam—it was a nasty little thing that always shined bright in the empty shells) he was ready to fuck.  While it was nice to feel wanted, Sam didn’t understand that as the hours ticked by, he, himself, was in jeopardy.

Yeah, sometimes Gabriel could drop in (it wasn’t like he didn’t want to, because, fuck, _of course_ he wanted to!) but other times the important shit took precedence.

Wow.  He never thought he’d say that.

Responsibility over amazing sex?  That was a new one.

Still…Castiel and Crowley were up to no good.  Raphael was on a power trip, attempting precisely what Gabriel was trying to prevent, and he needed to get Sam’s soul the fuck out of the box _without_ springing it wide open!

One rare occasion had brought Gabriel down to the pit, he knew the new Dynamic Dumbasses were plotting in some shady warehouse, so he had free rein of the joint.  He circled the enchanted, glorified cell, his power freely flowing and outstretched looking for a tear.  A weak spot, some kind of small nook or cranny he could press his grace against and snatch Sam’s soul up into and—

Speak of the devil.  Except, the real Devil was cackling like an unhinged maniac, blissfully unaware Gabriel was right outside the walls.  No, Gabriel was talking about _his_ own little devil.

Because Sam was in his head.  Again.

Gabriel gripped at the rungs of the prison-like bars that weren’t really there.  The visual was more for aesthetics, but they aided Gabriel as he heard the filthy demands in his brain turn into pleas.  Shit…he was getting hard in his pants, and he wished that this whole prayer thing went both ways.  So he could send him a dirty version of ‘hold your horses’ and tell him to wait.

You know—because he was rescuing the damsel, and everything.

Except, Sam didn’t do waiting.  And he was distracting.  Normally, at this point in the past, Sam had started touching himself and Gabriel had no other choice but to fly over.

This time—he went silent.

It actually made Gabriel pause, waiting for the next tactic, but…it never came.

“Huh,” he said to himself, and went back to circling the cage with his grace outstretched and his power spinning around frenetically.

Inside was a storm, it was a hurricane of chaos, and Gabriel could almost feel Sam—the real Sam—right under his fingers.  Screaming for help.  It gutted him, because the human soul was so brilliant, it even beamed amidst the power of two archangels, except Sam’s wasn’t as vibrant as the one Gabriel knew.  Even without seeing it, he could feel it beyond the barrier and it was tattered.

Fuck, if Gabriel could jump in there—even if it meant fighting his brothers just to let Sam escape—he’d do it in a heartbeat.

It was sealed.  Maybe Gabriel _would_ have to take into consideration the nuclear option of gathering the key once more.  Of risking what he’d planned _never_ to do, or let anyone else do—just to save this one human—

Then, a jolt went through his spine, because he heard Sam again.

Except, his voice wasn’t directed into _Gabriel’s_ head—

It was _all over_ Angel Radio.

Sam didn’t say his name, he didn’t say that he was a Winchester, but he fucking broadcasted everything else!  But _before_ he could get to his little ‘location announcement—’

Gabriel was in front of Sam, in another shitty motel room, and slapped him across the face.  

In the moment, it was the only guarantee it would make Sam stop, as Gabriel shouted with fury, “Are you a fucking idiot?!”

Sam’s grin was wicked, his cheek blooming pink as he shrugged casually, “Wanted someone to get the job done.”

Oh—Gabriel was seeing red!  It took everything in him not to wrap his hands around the fuckin’ asshole’s throat as Sam leisurely laid back on the bed and watched him.  All without a care in the world.

“What the hell did you expect to get out of that, huh!?” Gabriel raged, advancing on him, “A puny human addicted to getting fucked with grace?  Begging _the Host_ like a two-bit slut?  Any angel that found out it happened in the first place would’ve smote you for sacrilege!  Did your brain deep-fry downstairs?!”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Sam was cocky, now that Gabriel was within range, he reached out and grabbed his collar, “I only wanted to get you here.”

“Bullshit!”  He shoved away all of Sam’s advances, “You would’ve bent over for any angel who showed up with a hard-on and grace-fueled fingers!”

Gabriel had to take a breath.  He had to settled down so he turned his back, and walked away to put some distance between them.  Gabriel wiped a hand down his face because he couldn’t believe that Sam had _actually_ dared to send that prayer out, he was reckless, he was too damn fearless—was it because Gabriel had created a monster?  And now Gabriel, taking stock of himself…he’d…never felt like this.

Was this all-consuming wrath because he was worried about the kid’s well-being, and the fact that any other angel could’ve flown down and carved into him with an angel blade?   _Or_ complete and total outrage over Sam ready to spread ‘em for another’s…’angel blade?’  Well, Gabriel knew for a fact he’d murder any son of a bitch who touched Sam, that was for sure.

But the fact that Sam was apparently ready and willing—

Shit!

“Hey.”

Gabriel recoiled, because he hadn’t heard the kid approach, and he was much, much too close to his ear for comfort.  He glowered and tried to walk away again, but Sam was bold, grabbing his bicep and raising his eyebrow.

“So you responded.  That means something,” Sam was teasing him, but Gabriel didn’t feel like being teased.

“What did you want it to mean?  Proof?  That I’m at your beck and call?  Room service, twenty-four-seven?”  Now Gabriel’s voice was dangerous, “Or maybe I should just go.  See who comes down for you.  Wouldn’t that be interesting…” he mused, letting Sam’s arm drop of it’s own accord, along with his jaw.  “Yeah, that actually sounds good.  Why don’t you pray again, Sammy.  Variety’s the spice of life?  I’ll go head back out, lots to do!”

“No, you won’t,” Sam growled, and the clash of their lips wasn’t a kiss—it was a downright assault.

It was exactly what Gabriel needed, and he pushed back against it with the same ferocity.  Because, dammit, this stupid hunter would be the end of him!  Whether it was the desperate way Sam pawed at him, trying to pull his jacket off, the way his tongue instantly dove into Gabriel’s mouth, or the sweet, tender way they always seemed to eventually fall asleep together—because Sam demanded it—he _would_ be the end of him!  Tonight was no different, hell, it was obvious proof!

“Gabriel,” Sam was trying to speak, he was trying to say something and it seemed urgent.  Gabriel refused to let him.

No, he continued to bite and suck on Sam’s lips.  Gabriel didn’t bother holding back his bruising strength when he manhandled the hunter by his hips, only now realizing Sam was merely clad in a t-shirt and boxers.  Gabriel was going to kiss him until he couldn’t fucking breathe and his lips were swollen.  The only chance Sam had for air was when Gabriel launched him backwards to the bed, and even then the wind was stolen from his lungs.

Tonight, no way, no how, would Gabriel give Sam even a _taste_ of his grace.  He made it obvious when he physically pulled off his shirt and unzipped his pants, rather than a snap of his fingers.  Maybe that was a bad idea, because Sam actually managed to gather his words, even though the archangel much rather would have preferred only the background sounds of sex.

Moaning and shouting, he’d love, but not much more than that.  Not a fucking chat.  Hell no.

“Dammit, listen to me!”  Sam tried, only to be cut off.

“Don’t want to,” Gabriel snipped right back, ripping off his jeans, trying to ignore him completely.

“You will,” there was a steel resolve, when Sam rushed out, “I only did it because I _knew_ that you were listening it, I did it to bait you, Gabriel, I—”

“Hah!  You expect me to believe that?”  He tossed his head back with laughter.  “You’d sweet-talk whoever showed up, Sammy!  I know your game.  You’re making excuses because I _did_ show up.   Probably thought I was too busy, you know, saving you—because I was!  No one else is gonna do it, no one _can_!  So good job fucking yourself over, I hope it’s worth it,” Gabriel snarled, pissed off all over again and ripping his boxers off.  “Wondered how long you’d hold out with the whole, ‘it’s you and your grace, Gabriel, no one else,’ thing.  Lasted longer than I thought you would.”  Gabriel used a mockingly high-pitched voice for the quote

Sam paused, staring at him with his mouth agape and wide eyes.  The only question he could manage was, “—What?”

Shit.  Cat’s out of the bag.

Gabriel snorted, forcefully hauling Sam’s boxers off as well and roughly closed his mouth around his shoulder, forcing a moan.  “What, nothing.  You were bad, Sammy.  I need to teach you a lesson about waiting for me.”

“Goddammit, Gabriel, I _swear_ _—_!”

So maybe he did use a hint of his grace, but it wasn’t for sexual pleasure, not quite, it was to help Sam learn about patience.  About not being a little asshole who constantly needed instant gratification.  When Gabriel snapped his fingers, a wicked grin spread across his face, and Sam made a strangled noise.

He looked down, back up to Gabriel and demanded in shock, “What the fuck?!  What are you doing?”

Watching Sam’s reaction to the cock ring now wrapped around the base of his thick, pulsing erection was a beautiful visual Gabriel would remember for quite some time.  The hunter went from shocked, to offended, and then—in the blink of an eye—he finally turned into that Sam Gabriel had come to know over the past month.

“So this is what you want?  I get it.”  Sam was panting as he grabbed Gabriel around the neck and tried to drag their bodies together.  “Still y-you’ve got it all wrong, I—”

“Shut up,” he ordered, Sam’s eyes doubled by the sharpness and his pupils darkened instantaneously.  The hunter was really getting off on this.  Even though he was shifting uncomfortably because of the snug, tight fit around his dick.  Yet, he followed the demand, for now.

When Gabriel had snapped up the ring, he’d also reached out and gotten lube.  He wouldn’t relax Sam’s body and ease into him with grace, this would be down and dirty and oh so human.  Sam gasped at the sight, spreading his legs as an invitation as Gabriel pushed two fingers inside him.  It was so damn easy, but Sam was always so damn horny, it shouldn’t have surprised him.

Gabriel watched as Sam wantonly rolled his back, pushing himself down on Gabriel’s fingers as he moved them, and he clucked his tongue.  “Maybe you are a dirty slut.  Always ready to bend over and spread ’em just for _a hit_ of grace.  Like a goddamn addict.  Sorry, kid.  It’s just me, fucking you like a human.  Try not to complain too much,” he growled, pushing in a third finger and for the added torture, began to fist Sam‘s cock.

“Stop it!  Stop saying that!” Sam begged, still moaning and writhing on his fingers.  “Because it’s not true, Gabriel!  Drop it already?!”

“Drop what?” Gabriel gave him a firm tug, thumbing the beading precum all the way down Sam’s shaft before releasing him.  “Drop that?”

Sam whined at the loss, and doubled his efforts to grind on Gabriel’s fingers, because now?  Oh—Gabriel had found his sweet spot.  What was worse, was that Gabriel was pounding against it unforgivingly, the bursts of pleasure spiked with each and every stroke, but Sam…

He was caught on that damn ledge.  And he couldn’t free fall.  Which was precisely Gabriel’s plan.    
  
Gabriel loved watching the show of pleasure, frustration, and craving unfold before his eyes, and right under his fingers.  Sam was a vision like this, without a bit of control, unable to ride the tide of an orgasm and both loving and hating Gabriel at the same time.  The sweat covering his body from where he was fighting to keep still, yet uncontrollably swiveling his hips, and it highlighted the hills and the valleys of those perfectly toned muscles glistening in the harsh motel light.  The movement made Gabriel’s mouth go dry.

Sam was a wreck, because in any normal situation, he would have gotten off long before this, with Gabriel milking his prostate, but everything had changed.

“Please, Gabriel, teach me my lesson!” Sam all but shouted, his eyes frantic, voice cracking.

Yep, Sam knew exactly how to play the game.  Which words would get the best results, how to wiggle his way out of trouble.  How to wiggle his way _into_ trouble.  That damn brain in his head…it was one of an evil genius, and of course—Gabriel fell for him every time.

He pulled away out of Sam’s body and while he wasn’t into giving Sam any freebies, he couldn’t help but lick his lips at the drooling precum all over Sam’s cock.  And who was he to let it go to waste?  Gabriel flicked his tongue along the length, earning hiccup-like sharp inhales after every swipe of his tongue.

Then, once he had cleaned up the mess, tasted Sam on his tongue, he took him down his throat.  Gabriel grinned as his lips hit the cool material of the cock ring, and Sam yelped and cursed.  He bucked up into Gabriel’s mouth, and—yeah, so what—Gabriel may have let him.

Once Gabriel pulled away though, he ordered icily, “Turn around.  Hands and knees.  Like the whore you are.”

Sam opened his mouth to protest as he moved, but the second he tried, Gabriel firmly spanked his ass hard enough to steal the words away from him.  Sam stayed quiet, turned around and did as he was told.  Gabriel loved the look of his handprint, but now that he saw just how red it had turned _so_ damn _fast_ , he was worried.  Exactly how hard had he struck him?

He was caught up in the moment, he couldn’t gauge his power levels, and as he grabbed Sam’s ass cheeks to pull them apart, revealing a needy, puckered and stretched hole, he didn’t really care.  Gabriel couldn’t coat his dick with lube fast enough, he felt like _he’d_ been the one wearing the cock ring, after all this torture!  Watching Sam, no matter how furious he was at him, he was still the definition of seduction and Gabriel needed him.

But, as he slid into Sam’s clenching, eager body Gabriel realized that he was allowed to use and abuse him however he saw fit.  And Gabriel got to cum whenever he wanted to.  He didn’t waste a second.  

Gabriel’s cock had been neglected for too long, now he was going to take, and take.  Sam was just as ready, pushing backwards to meet his violent thrusts, Gabriel knowing that Sam would feel it tomorrow in the morning.  Hell, he may even have a limp at the pace they were going!  But Sam wasn’t complaining one bit—the delicious sounds of filthy groans and curses filled the air as Gabriel fucked himself closer and closer to orgasm.

“It’s so easy for you, being on all fours, isn’t it?” Gabriel groaned out, thrusts slapping their skin together.  “You like sucking cock on your knees, too?”

While Gabriel was at his tipping point, just about to tip over the edge, apparently Sam was at his as well.

Sam shouted out, “I’m not a whore, I’m yours!” with a venom that _should_ have killed the moment, but it didn’t.  Sam moved more aggressively, considering what he had to work with.  “I’m trying to let you get out your goddamn anger and jealousy!  Play your game, have your fun, but know— Oh God—!”

Gabriel didn’t know what moved him, but he snapped the cock ring away and didn’t answer with words, but with his body.

The second that damn ring was off?  Sam was overwhelmed and spilling his release everywhere.  His knees nearly gave out and he had to hold himself steady on his arms, wheezing because his breath was racing so fast!  And Sam also wanted to give it right back to Gabriel—

It didn’t take a lot, Sam continued what he’d been doing, with a little more finesse, the things that the hunter knew drove the archangel insane.  Now that he was in his right mind, his unfulfilled pleasure had been quenched, and now he could focus on Gabriel, and Gabriel alone.

“Fuck yeah, Sammy,” he moaned out, and blew his load inside the hunter, grabbing at him fiercely, and for one of the first time, placing a kiss of his own accord on Sam’s back.  

The feel of Gabriel’s orgasm rushed through Sam like a second wind—they’d done this enough, Gabriel had let him in to experience what he’d experienced through grace, the archangel didn’t know where the ‘Off’ switch was!  At the same time, it was probably for the best, Gabriel blearily thought.

Sam’s body was quaking from the aftershocks when Gabriel pulled him to his chest, almost feeling a touch of remorse for putting the kid through the ringer but then remembering…this was probably _exactly_ what Sam wanted.  His thoughts were confirmed by the happy hum and the way he melted and held Gabriel.  Just when the archangel thought everything had kind of worked out, the words that left Sam’s mouth made him realize that they’d both fucked up.

“You’re a dick.  If that hadn’t be so awesome, I’d be pissed right now,” Sam began, his stubble grazing Gabriel’s neck.  “I prayed to get your attention.  I told you, it’s _your_ grace that I’m crazy about.  Why would I want some low-level seraph when I can have you?  Explain that to me.”

“Huh.  Well, I guess you are a princess.   Nothing but the best,” Gabriel grumbled out, because at this point, why would Sam lie?  He guessed his jealousy was for nothing, but still.  “That was a risky move.  What if it didn’t pan out?  What if you’d finished your sentence, someone called your bluff?  Now, the angels know someone down on Earth is railing a human with their grace, and I don’t have to tell you that’s a huge no-no.”

“Well, it’s a good thing everyone thinks you're dead,” he countered without pause, “It’s also good to know that in your free time, when you don’t answer my prayers, you’re saving me.”  Sam zeroed in while Gabriel tried to keep his expression neutral.  “Gabriel.  What are you saving me from?  What is it that only you can do?”

This was an interesting conundrum.

He was hoping to get Sam’s soul back to him before he knew he was walking around without it, yet Sam had been too distracting to know what he’d been doing.  No, this was Gabriel’s shortcomings, he should have figured it out sooner, he should have been taking bolder action because—

“Gabriel.”  It was a warning, which—yeah, Sam couldn’t do much to him.  Physically.  

Except, by that viscerally reaction he’d gotten out of him earlier?  It appeared like he had the archangel wrapped around his damn finger.  It sucked.  Because he _did_.

“Do you feel different?” Gabriel decided to approach it like that.  “Since landing back on Earth.  What does Sam feel like?”

He squinted, like it was a trick question.  “Fine.  I mean, way better than I thought.  I…don’t remember Hell.  We’ve talked about this, why are you asking again?  Can you get to the point, and—”

“Your soul’s still in Hell.”  Gabriel said it evenly, watching Sam carefully.  “Is that to the point, enough?”

The hunter looked confused, cautious, and his one question was: “How am I still here—alive?”

“Your body keeps going.  Brain’s still intact.  As are your memories,” Gabriel appreciated that he was taking this well, but soulless Sam was nothing if not analytical.  “Apparently, your sex drive is working just fine, too.  You’re the Tin-man, Sammy.”

“That doesn’t make sense.  That would mean that I don’t experience emotion, the soul it…” he shook his head, trying to digest the concept.  “It’s like your conscience?  Your heart?”

“Yeah, feeling-central,” Gabriel confirmed.  “But you still know right from wrong, logically.  You can still choose, others usually don’t.  You’re one of a kind.  Others go off the deep end, you’re just…” he actually smiled, “Remarkable.  No matter what shape you’re in.”

“And you’re working to get it back.  From inside the Cage.  Where Lucifer and Michael have been using it like a punching bag the entire time we’ve been up here?” Sam was wary, and that wasn’t good.  But he surprised Gabriel again, by asking, “If that’s where my emotions are, then why am I loyal?  To you?  Why do I feel like…” Sam paused in thought, his entire demeanor changing to something more robotic now that he knew.

“I can heal you, Sam.  Once I get your soul out.  I told you, I’m going to make it work, I’m _not_ gonna put a time bomb in your body and denote it.” Gabriel needed to reassure him, because the last fucking thing he needed was for Sam to skip town, afraid of what his mangled soul could do.  After all, he was in self-perseveration mode.  “Loyalty could be a memory.  Gotta say, I’m not mad you held onto it.  What do you feel like?”

“It’s…interesting.  It’s like it still lingers in my body.  But with what you’re saying, it doesn’t make sense.”  Sam continued to study Gabriel, “Of course, I want you.  Sexually.  But if we’re talking about my soul?  Damn, it _really_ left a residue or something.”

Gabriel hoped it was still all right, that physical affection didn't bother the self-aware robot, before he kissed his forehead.  “I still don’t get what you’re saying.”

“I almost can feel it,” Sam brushed his lips against Gabriel’s and whispered, “ _Me_.  Or, my soul.  Must have really, _really_ loved you.  It tricked me into thinking I did, but if I _am_ soulless, that just wouldn’t make sense, would it?”

Okay, so that made Gabriel freeze up.

If Sam’s feelings were enough to convince the shell of himself that he had actual feelings?  Yeah.  He’d say that was pretty fucking intense.

Shit.  Gabriel couldn’t lose this, couldn’t lose _Sam_ —and this new information, this stupid slip of the tongue when he was pissed, it could change everything!

“Well,” Gabriel tried to keep the mood playful, “Don’t wanna ruin things for yourself, right?”  He caught Sam’s bottom lip with his teeth and tugged lightly, “And you were the one to say the sex was great.  How about we keep this up.  You, hunting.  Us, fucking.  Me, saving.  I like how things are, got a good routine going.”

An impish smirk wormed its way onto Sam’s features.  “You love him, too.”

“You.”  Gabriel was swift to correct it.  Fear was cast aside, because this was so much more important.  “I love _you_.  Even the little conniving shit in front of me.  You’re still Sam.  I sure as hell don’t want you thinking you aren’t.  You’re his brain, you’re Sam without consequence, and you’re just as relevant.  I’m trying to save both of you.”

“Somehow, this doesn’t surprise me,” Sam relaxed back down, tongue flickering across Gabriel’s earlobe.  “Is it weird that I’m jealous, now?”

“Maybe.”  Gabriel’s voice reflected the hint of confusion, “What do you have to be jealous about?  Pretty sure the ridiculous tantrum I had proved to you that I’m basically sold.”

“Him.  I’m jealous of him.”  It was softer, but that didn’t mean it lacked a sharp edge to it.  In fact, Sam’s arms wrapped around Gabriel had tightened possessively.  “Maybe I want you.  Maybe I like how things are now.  Maybe I want you to leave him and stay with me.”

That was the first thing that left Gabriel truly scraping together words.  Want _was_ something the soulless were capable of.  This…loyalty.  It was possible.  The entitled notion of ownership, most definitely.  However, if that was something that Gabriel could use to keep Sam on the line?  To make sure he didn’t stray?  He wasn’t above using shady tactics, so long as everything worked out in the end.

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere,” Gabriel returned the embrace and rested his cheek on the crown of Sam’s head, his hand coming to rest of his waist.  “You want me?  You got me.  So long as you don’t pull any of that shit again.”

“I won‘t, I‘ll behave,” he said with a lewd smile.  Then turned the tables, “If you leave that soul in the cage.”

Gabriel laughed, “Did you just give me an ultimatum?”

“No, I gave you an instruction.  Leave him there, we’ll stay like this.”  Sam was playing a game, too, because he was falling back under the guise of the old Sam, voice now tender as he closed his eyes.  “I told you, I can feel love.  That’s gotta be monumental for someone who’s ‘soulless,’ right?  Maybe what we’ve got is something more.  Maybe this is better because I’m happy, Gabriel,” he paused for a beat, letting that finite word sink in, “Happier than I’ve ever been.  I don’t have guilt, I don’t have the weight of the world on my shoulders and…I have you.  Why mess up a good thing?”  His words were imploring, they were so sweet and tempting, and all that Gabriel wanted for the kid.

But life wasn’t easy.  Gabriel would hold out hope they’d have a good thing, regardless.  Shit, Sam had said that he loved him.  That was enough to keep him pushing forward, for him not to settle into this trap that would be _so_ damn _easy_ …shit, if he was the Trickster God he was a decade ago, he sure as hell would take this deal in a heartbeat.  Leave matters here, bask in the beauty of ‘easy.’

But he owed Sam, the Sam in the cage, the one who had saved the world and loved him first, way too much.  That was the one who loved him _strong enough_ to leave traces behind in his body, even if his heart was long gone.

Still, he’d tell this one, “Yeah, I’m happy, too.  You deserve a break, Sammy, catch some shut eye, I worked you hard,” and he’d mean it.

He’d preen when he heard Sam tell him with a chuckle, “Alright, no leaving me in the middle of the night, okay?  I want a fair round two in the morning, toys are fine, just not things that friggin torture me,” and let him kiss him soundly before bed.

Gabriel would even relish the hushed, “I love you’s” he never thought he’d hear nor say.

Except now, he’d have to hide his work from Heaven, Hell and Sam, too.  He’d have to be goddamn invisible to make this work.  Shit.


	3. Free Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for SPN Kink Bingo 2017  
> Square Filled: Free Space
> 
>  _Summary:_ Desperate times call for...well, _calling_ up Death. That's Gabriel's last resort to get Sam out of the Cage before he, himself, goes nuclear. 
> 
> While the Horseman agrees, Gabriel isn't without his own tasks and trials. Like piecing together the shards of Sam's shattered soul, and diving into his mind to erect a barrier against his nightmares from the inside. Seeing Sam utterly ripped apart is heartbreaking, and Gabriel doesn't hesitate to fix all he can. Even if it lands him comatose for a week and a glorified, gross, weak human.
> 
> But with Sam back, _his Sam,_ it's all worth it. Even though he has to help him through the memories of being soulless, of their relationship while he was in the Cage, and how they're moving forward. Because that's the best part about saving the Princess, right?
> 
> Yesss, [SPNgreeneyes](http://archiveofourown.org/users/spngreeneyes), we finished this little fic! Thank you for the last-minute beta-reading, I love you oh so much!

It was a bold move and Gabriel knew it.  Except, it was the _only_ one he had in play.  The last piece left on the chessboard, and even then he had to sneak it back on when no one was looking to make it count.

He’d been trying for fucking _months_ to poke and prod at the Cage, still looking for a weakness, looking into lore, visiting old Pagan friends who may have intel, but it was useless.  The more time passed, the longer Sam’s soul was being torn apart, the more time Gabriel would have to spend fixing it, and the more time Sam above ground, now aware of just how soulless he was, was beginning to think he liked himself better this way.

Hell, he embraced it.

Sam knew there was piece to the puzzle he wasn’t grasping, and during that stupid moment of pillow talk, Gabriel had spilled the beans.  That, yes, this soul was still in the Cage.  And, lo and behold, Sam mentioned there was a sticky residue inside his vessel that had feelings for Gabriel.

Feelings of _love_.

Sometimes, Gabriel wondered if he used the ‘L’ word just to keep him on the line.  Keep him hooked.    
  
...It sure as hell worked.

Yeah, the archangel wasn’t an idiot, he knew that Sam was damn fond of him.  He was _also_ primarily fond of his grace and his body—specifically his dick.  But pretending that Sam was even capable of emotions?  No.  Gabriel drew the line, right there.  Maybe Sam remembered them, and fuck, if Gabriel had known back then…maybe he wouldn’t have acted so boldly.  Maybe he wouldn’t have hidden his own feelings, because he was at a disadvantage.  
  
Gabriel, for once, didn’t have the upper hand and it wasn’t simply irritating, it was mildly terrifying.  Sure, he enjoyed humans, but he never wanted to be weak like one, he didn’t want to have a soft-spot ready for target practice—he missed being invincible, thank you!

It was so ironic that it took Sam’s goddamn shell to force that realization from him.  But he had.  And then most of the time, they didn’t have a problem pretending that’s what they shared—love.

Still, Gabriel had seen the violent killing machine Sam was on his hunts.  He always worked solo and without a care in the world.  He dove into the world of monsters, not even bothering with knowing their back-story and whether they could be innocent.  No, he was all about finishing the job with a nice, neat bow on top.  If civilians got in the way of a stray bullet?  That...was their fault.  Gabriel was mildly appalled by that part.  It was so far away from Sam, it—fuck, it hurt.  
  
He flew from a safe distance, so he wasn’t far in case of an emergency,  but Sam couldn’t feel him.  It was eerie, because while Sam may have played the part of Sam in front of Gabriel, outside motel rooms he was another person.

That was why Gabriel had set up this particular meeting.

That’s why he was also steeling his nerves and pulling up every last bit of bravado he had in his system to face the man.  Well, if you could call _him_ a man…

“Well, well, well.  You were almost in my hands a half year ago, Gabriel.  Yet you managed to wriggle away.  Did you realize you had made a mistake?”

“Nah, I didn’t really plan on seeing you again anytime soon, but desperate times,” Gabriel tried to flash Death a smile, but his presences evoked nothing but fight-or-flight.

Well, _mostly_ flight.

“I see.”  Death watched him curiously and circled him.  “The lone summoning was thoughtful.  Normally, your friends like to put me on a leash.  Silly archangel.”

“They’re no friends of mine,” Gabriel instantly spat, needing to rid any association with his brothers—all three of them.  “Remember?  Attempting to kill me kind of eliminates any family bond.”

Death paused, a smirk tugging on his face, “I was speaking of the Winchesters.”

That made Gabriel freeze.  “Oh.  Well…they tried to kill me too, I guess.  Whelp.  Looks like friends trump family, in that case…” the end of the thought was mumbled, but he remembered it would be stupid for him to waste Death’s time, or he may become a target.  “I need your help.  Please, I need to rescue Sam’s soul from the Cage.  I’ve got the Terminator walking around, and I—”

“Wish to be reunited with your lover.”  It was flippant, but Gabriel should have known better than pulling the wool over his eyes.

After all, he was his Father’s equal.  Perhaps, stronger.  Death would reap God one day, Gabriel should have expected he was all-knowing, or at least could get into the archangel’s head.  So why fight it, right?

“Yeah.  I’ve tried everything I can, save busting it open.  You and I know that wouldn’t end well and I know _you_ wouldn’t want that.”  Gabriel dared to take a step in, “But if you know what he is to me, you know what he means to me.  That I’m desperate enough to do it, if I’m turned down.  I’m gonna get Sammy out, one way or another.  That would be a big ol’ problem for you again, too.”

Death took a seat in the chair, tapping his cane lightly.  “You’d risk another Apocalypse for the broken soul of a flawed human?  That doesn’t sound like you, Loki.  When did you grow so soft?”

Gabriel ground his teeth, knowing he was being toyed with, but also knowing it was a barely-disguised gauntlet.  “You know.  Hell, what don’t you know?  Please, save me the bullshit.  Are you gonna help or play with your food?”

“You understand the shape he’s in, correct?”  An eyebrow rose on his gaunt, corpse-like face.  “You know the torment he’s gone through?  The suffering he’s endured?  And you still wish to let him out into the world?  He may be better off letting the vultures pick at his bones.”

“I can heal him!  I can fix him!  I’ll take care of him, I just need him here to do it,” he pushed the urgency with, “Every day it gets worse, I _know that_ , and it’s a day I could spend helping him!  I know you’ve got the power.  I’ll do what you want, fuck, if you’re pissed I got away from you back at Elysian Fields, I’ll let you have me!  After I get Sam back on his feet, I’ll let you—”

“Your grace holds no meaning to me.  You’ve never been a threat to the order.  Sam Winchester, on the other hand…” Death sighed, and there was pity in his eyes.

Pity!  Gabriel hated that look.  He fucking hated the patronizing stare, he would not be looked down on like a poor little helpless—

“I’ll give you Sam’s soul.  Or what remains of it.  Although, it may break him.  Then you won’t have either of them.”  Death continued to stare, as though he was looking beyond Gabriel’s flesh and bone and into his head, which he probably was.  “I encourage you to build a wall.”

Gabriel blinked and tilted his head to the side.  “A what?”

“A wall,” Death repeated, his voice raising a lilt in intensity.  “A barrier between his memories of himself and Hell.  While you heal the flayed soul, you need to dig deeper.  You need to keep Sam from remembering the torture he endured under Michael and Lucifer’s hand.  Do I make myself clear?”

“So you’ll do it?”  He demanded in a rush, “You’ll bring him back to me?”

“Only so you won’t bring about the world’s end.  I know you’re capable _and_ foolish enough,” Death scoffed and stood back up.  “And I know Sam Winchester with a soul is much better than one without, roaming the Earth.  I’ll deliver it to you tomorrow.”

Although Gabriel could hardly contain his excitement, he couldn’t help but ask, “Why tomorrow?  You have the power, you could—”  The look Death shot him slammed the archangel’s mouth shut instantly.  “Yep.  Tomorrow works, my schedule is clear, that sounds like a plan!”

“Very good.”  There was a hint of annoyance in his voice, and to others it would prove fatal.

To be honest, Gabriel had no idea why he was being humored, but he’d take it!

In a glance, Death had disappeared and hope had replaced the heavy silence, because—

Holy fucking shit.

It worked!  It had _actually_ worked!

He was vibrating with joy, after all his attempts turning into failure, this risky move on the chessboard _had_ panned out!  Never mind the fact Gabriel nearly pissed himself, that wasn’t important!  Sam, _his Sam_ , was being busted out!

The lingering words of building a wall echoed.  He wouldn’t have thought of it himself, but it made sense.  Dear Dad, it was the only thing that could save him from the damage in the Cage.  Gabriel would have been so caught up in the celebration of his victory, there was no way he would have thought of erecting that barrier, but it would be their saving grace.

Gabriel would need time with Sam’s soul, uninterrupted, before he reunited it with Sam’s vessel.  This was something he hadn’t done before, he didn’t know if there was permission needed—as an angel would need—or not.  Gabriel was pretty sure he could just cram it back in after, because that’s where it would belong.  There was a natural link, come to think of it, he may have to physically hold it back from being drawn to Sam's body when Gabriel mended him, delicately using the proper means of knitting him back together.

This was the unknown.

But it was an astonishing unknown.  He wanted to cry tears of joy, but he was too busy plotting.  Gabriel would need to load up on energy and grace reserves, so he headed to a place where the people still worshiped the Pagan God Loki.  He could gain strength in the form of reverence, thought, and prayer.  Energy existed for him to gather, and he needed every ounce he could scoop up.

\-------------------

The very next day Death kept his promise, and Gabriel prepared by fashioning an old abandoned home with sigils and protective barriers to keep everything out.  Gabriel knew he’d need a safe location when he was handed the tattered, weak, and dim soul.  One he’d do his best to fix, that used to be so vibrant and stunning...if not a bit tainted in a way that had always fascinated and drawn Gabriel in.  There were a lot of prerequisites to get this right!

When he saw Sam’s soul… _Fuck_ , it was worse than he thought.

He spent the day into night healing the superficial wounds, pushing his grace into the bleakest areas to make it glow brighter.  Sam’s soul was a few hits away from giving up, but he responded to Gabriel.  Whether it was the familiar feel of his touch, there was an innate trust that allowed a quicker recovery than even Gabriel expected.

Once he was able, once there was enough stability—Gabriel closed his eyes and concentrated.

He needed to dive in, to actually enter Sam’s consciousness to build that wall.

Hopefully, the kid didn’t put up much of a fight.  He didn’t want to add to Sam’s pain, he wanted to make it all go away—

Sinking into a soul was a delicate process.  Even though the force and energy was almost never-ending and the depth was a universe within itself, actually entering the human’s universe was tricky.  There was a metaphorical gate, Sam at the helm, and behind that gate was pure chaos.  Gabriel could see it from where he’d already sunken in and who knew if Sam would be able to differentiate Gabriel from the fucking mess inside.

Still, he made his voice heard.

He shouted at Sam, his consciousness shaking as though an earthquake was rocking through it, and as Gabriel reached out his grace—

A field appeared out of nowhere.

He was still in the line of trees, but in the middle of it Sam sat quietly with his face between his knees and his hands bracing the back of his head.  Like he was hiding.  Still, he was in plain view and he called out, “You joining?”

Gabriel walked out into the open and towards the crumbled man, asking, “Joining you, Sammy?”

“Joining them.”  His voice was ruefully bitter when he said, “Your brothers.  The torture.  Suddenly, all those Tuesdays make sense, huh?  It runs in the family.”

Shit.

Gabriel rushed his steps but didn’t run—he didn’t want Sam to think he was under attack.  When he was within distance, he slowly sat down next to him and cast a glance over his shoulder from where he came.  Back behind him was lit up with flames, and he realized…this was perfect.  He could speak with Sam, keep him distracted—and build that wall.

He used the timber of the woods, it made sense, and sent the newly-minted boards flying behind them and coated them with metal once they locked into place.  He’d cement them when they were done.  Gabriel could use his imagination in here, he could even give them a nice, granite varnish if he wished.

The point was, that he was in.  He was keeping Sam safe, keeping his distance from Hell, and doing what he came here to do.  Save the princess, build the barrier.

Now, for that saving part…

“We talked about this,” Gabriel’s voice was hushed, sitting next to the real Sam.  “I was a dick.  I was trying to warn you and I—”

“I know…” Sam’s exhale was shaky.  “ _They_ know, too.  What are you gonna do to me today?”  He jerkily moved around, shouting in frustration, “What’s it gonna be?!”

“Huh?” Gabriel was growing more confused by the second, Sam clearly unhinged and screaming at nothing. “Hey, look at me.  What do you mean?”

“They use you against me.”  Slowly, he released his hands.  As his head rose, he wrapped his arms around his legs but looked straight ahead.  There were dried tear stains on his cheeks and old burns littering the skin covered in charcoal Gabriel could see, proof that his restoration was working, but Sam wasn't okay yet.  He seemed uneasy, waiting for an attack.    
  
“They hate we were close.  Always get into my head, mock me.  Replay your death.  Tell me I was just a quick fuck anyway.  That—”

“Sam.”  His voice was firm, and he couldn’t help but turn this physical.  He reached out and cupped his cheek, drawing his focus but unfortunately, those gorgeous hazel eyes were defeated.  He was going to give him something worth fighting for, if it killed him!  “What if I told you I was still alive?  That I was two shakes away from bringing you back?  That you meant so much more to me than you’ll ever know?”

Gabriel paused, seeing there was still no reaction.  So he pushed further.  “I’m telling you that you’re popped from the Cage.  I’m never letting anything happen to you again.  Ever.  We’re gonna be together, and I love you.”

Sam drably returned, “Huh.  You’ve never said that before.”

“It’s because this is _real_!” he persisted, “I’m inside your head, okay?!  Well, your soul.  Bad news is, your body has been running around without you.  But I’m fixing that.”  Gabriel glanced over his shoulder to where the wall had begun to round, sky-high, as though it was following the curve of the Earth’s atmosphere.  “You’re comin’ back to me.  Okay…”  He took a deep breath in.  “You responded to my grace, you gave me entry into your soul.  I’m here now, I’m real, you’ll be okay soon.”

“If that’s all true, why are you here?  Why didn’t you just put me back together?” Sam’s questions were biting.  “Is it because I’m broken?  Or you popped in to figure out if I’m even _worth_ putting back together?”

“There’s that sass.”  Gabriel actually smiled at his accusations.  “I _know_ you’re worth it.  I’m just…running an errand in the meantime.”

The archangel could feel it.  He could feel the boards begin to slow.  The heat lower in temperature as Hell and the Cage was blockaded off.  As the last cementing was sliding into place—

“An errand?” Sam’s voice was lighter, and he looked confused, “Wait, how are you in my head?  Is this a dream?”

And there it was…the key words.

Sam _didn’t_ ask if this was an after-school-special that Lucifer had put together, an illusion for the fun of it, no.    
  
He asked if he was _dreaming_.    
  
Hell was in another place.  It was sealed away, just as he’d been building the blocks.  Gabriel threw another coating of both his grace and Pagan magic over it, locked it tight, and threw away the key.  Except, _that_ little stunt made him lightheaded.

Gabriel tipped over from where he sat, unable to balance, and crashed into the long grass with a thud.  Sam didn’t even think, he scooped him up and asked, “Gabe!  Are you okay?!” with all the emotion and worry that came with being _whole_.  Without the nightmares and haunting of a wrecked mind.

Gabriel had done it!  Shit, it had tapped him dry, but he’d done it!

His eyes were lazily opening and shutting, but Sam’s fear was real.  “Hey, hey—don’t pass out on me!  Gabriel!  Open your damn eyes!  I can feel it, your grace!  This is…” he gasped, “this is real…you’re here!  You’re alive!  What did you do?!  What did you pull to get you in this shape?!  Dammit!”

“Mm, worth it,” he winked, and Sam gathered him into his arms.

“Can you zap out?  Sleep, like Cas does when he’s low on juice?” Sam was scrambling, trying to figure out a way to help.  “What if I wake up?  Will that work?”

Gabriel’s thoughts, he was fuzzy and he wondered the same thing—Sam wasn’t a hot mess any longer.  If he did ’wake up’ or, if Gabriel gave him that final push…would be go back to his body?  Yeah, the joint was warded up the wazoo, but Sam’s soul was always meant to enter.

“Yeah…” Gabriel mumbled, “Final push…”

“Gabe,” Sam asked nervously, “What does that mean?  I don’t like it…”

“You wouldn’t.  You don’t seem to like anything I do,” he groused, but raised his arm, “Twenty-one thirty-three Park Ave.  You’ll have a lot to digest.  But come find me.  Make sure I didn’t bite it, yeah?”

With his last little bits of concentration, he focused everything he had and tapped Sam on the forehead.

Those wild, concerned eyes and lips poised to ream him out vanished from under him and that was okay, because before he could give himself a concussion or some shit, by slamming his head down on the dirt, he passed out anyway.

\----------------------

When Gabriel opened his eyes, he was laying on a motel bed and nestled in a cocoon of pillows and blankets.  He felt…almost human.   _Fuck_.  The last time he’d felt like this was when he was regaining his strength after going toe-to-toe with his brother.  Who knows how long it would take for him to recharge this time!

He groaned and in a flash, there was a dip in the mattress next to him.  “Do you have any idea how many cities have a twenty-one thirty-three Park Ave?”  

A sigh of relief followed, and Gabriel didn’t know whether it came from him or Sam.  But, wow, did it feel amazing to hear Sam’s voice, repeating the last words he’d heard in Sam’s head.  Which meant he’d succeeded, that this was Sam’s soul in his own body.

“How many?”  Well, fuck.  His voice was wrecked.

“I got to twenty seven until I found you.”  Sam laid down facing him and admitted in a rush, “Do you know how scared I was?  That you were lying dead somewhere?  Or that you being alive was some kind of dream?  That I was still in the Cage or…” he took in a sharp breath, “The only reason I didn’t was…” he paused, struggling to push out the words.

That’s when Gabriel finally peaked one of his eyes open to see Sam pursing his lips with a furrowed brow.  “Yeah.  Guess I could’ve been more specific about that address.  Sorry, just ready to keel over and shit.”

“I…remember everything.”

That was a loaded statement, and for a second-Gabriel was utterly horrified that meant Hell.

Until Sam clarified and his mind was at ease.  “Me being soulless?  Fuck,” he was breathless and spiteful, “You were right.  I had...a lot to think about.  A shit-ton to digest.  There was too much, way too much awful crap I did, I can’t even begin to apologize.  To so many people, God.  I’m only now coming to grips with it.”  Sam finally looked up, the regret and pain evident.  “May have been a good thing you were out for a week.  Gave me time to, uh, grasp what happened.”

Gabriel frowned and scooted closer, because to him it was black and white.  “You know that wasn’t you.  Sammy, you were in Hell, for fuck’s sake!  You’re just damn lucky that soulless you was a researching, hunting, fucking machine.  He didn’t even pull your brother back in the game.  Normally, the soulless are murdering psychos, land themselves in jail in a day, or kill themselves—because what’s the point of life?  You, no matter what, are a cut above the rest.”

“No,” Sam’s protest was weak, “No, I’m not.  You don’t even know the half of it.”

Gabriel wasn’t exactly sure what Sam found so unforgivable, because from his standpoint Sam was just an intense caricature of his most extreme self.  He wasn’t great, by any means, but he was a rather neutral party.  While he had the potential for going dark, he never took that step.  The archangel made sure of it.

“Hey, I watched over you,” Gabriel assured calmly, “I don’t know what happened to make you think you’re this…well, you need to tell me more for me to see the big picture here, kid.”

It looked like Sam wanted to be closer, like he wanted to wrap his arms around Gabriel, like he wanted to kiss him.  There was longing in his eyes, but he kept himself resolutely on top of the covers.  He didn’t join Gabriel, he kept this distance and the archangel didn’t understand.

He wanted to say ‘hello?  Remember all that wild sex we had?  And the whole, ‘I love you’ thing?  That was real.’  As if Sam didn’t know, that was for _him_.  He even candidly spoke to Sam’s vessel about it, the man understanding and reciprocating what Sam with a soul felt and he remembered about him.  Was that what he was shy about?

Very abruptly, Gabriel couldn’t help the words that came out of his mouth.  “Do you regret us?”  That was the only thing that made sense—

Sam’s jaw dropped before he shook his head so quickly, it could’ve fallen off.  “No!  Oh God, no!  That’s one of the only things I _don’t_ regret…I mean, if you don’t.  But there are things you don’t know.  About me.  Or him.  Shit, it’s all so jumbled!”

Seeing the distress made Gabriel’s heart ache, and when Sam sat up he followed close behind.  He also said fuck the distance, he placed one hand on Sam’s shoulder, the other softly holding his neck.

“See?  You already made the distinction.  The fact that you can say ’him’ makes all the difference in the world, kid.  Now, lay it on me.  What’s so horrible that’s freaking you out.  I know, your body walking around without you is pretty weird.  But if you don’t regret us, you don’t regret hunting, I guess I can’t understand what the fuss is about,” Gabriel tried to keep him calm, but Sam’s eyes were flickering around again.  “Hey.  It’s me, for fuck’s sake.  I’m not the definition of a good guy, Sammy.  You can talk to me.”

“He used me.”  The word were hardly a whisper.  “And you.  And while h-he said you were the only one, you…weren’t.”

Gabriel cursed himself for the way he’d decided, just friggin now, to hold Sam.  Because he twitched, his hands clenched without his permission, but he tried to stay calm.  This wasn’t on the man in front of him—it was on the soulless version who he had to remember, was _soulless_.

“Heh, should’ve known,” he groaned wryly, “Probably happened when I was trying to break you out of the Cage.  Not like I could keep surveillance twenty-four seven.”

Sam’s head dropped in shame.  “He was so fucked up.  God, Gabriel, he—” the words were choked when Sam said, “He’d find angels.  Or summon them.  He felt hollow, somehow the grace made him feel like he was whole, it couldn’t get enough, and then he’d kill them afterwards to get rid of any noise over Angel Radio.  He’d make sure it never, ever got back to you.”

Gabriel had to recoil, not because he was disgusted by Sam, but because he was seeing red.

The archangel could justify their time together—because it had happened before.  They _had_ been together, it was something they both wanted, they had those feelings for each other, but what that fucker did was glorified rape when Sam got back into his body.  He was furious that anyone had touched what was his, yeah, but he was brewing with something sharper for what Sam must be feeling _._

That his Sam was left with the memory, the lingering guilt and shame, feeling like he’d been the one to cheat on Gabriel with all these kills under his belt, to boot.

“I am so, so sorry, Gabriel, I know I’ve ruined anything that we could’ve had and I—” Sam’s voice was breaking, and there was no way he’d let the kid hang out to dry.

Gabriel reached out and hauled them close, kissing Sam soundly to shut him up.  The more Sam spoke about the things Gabriel didn't know, the more Gabriel was about to go Heavenly Fury, and Sam was the victim.  At first, Sam was so tentative, so shocked that Gabriel worried it was too much, too soon.  Or maybe he didn’t want him at all…

Sam soon proved him wrong.

He pushed back against Gabriel’s lips, licking into his mouth and sighing in relief.  Sam hesitantly wrapped his arms around Gabriel’s waist, another around his neck, pressing their bodies together.  Gabriel didn’t think it was possible, but the nostalgia, the small nuances and the passion behind each and everyone of Sam’s deliberate moves, it had been missing before.

This, right here, was pure, true Sam Winchester.

Just when Gabriel didn’t think things could get any better having what he thought (and had been proven fucking false) a stable relationship with the shell of Sam he’d continue once he got his Sam back—no, this was night and day. Maybe being almost-dead did a number on his brain, because how the fuck could be forget _this_?

Gabriel pulled away and pressed their foreheads together, letting Sam catch his breath.  “You have no idea how much I missed you.  How I tried every day to pop you from that box.  Now I’m pissed, because maybe I should’ve been watching over you on Earth—”

“You couldn’t have known,” Sam said forcefully.  “He was devious, manipulative, he covered his tracks, always had a back-up plan.  God, it was like the darkness in me and—”

“No, no. _Nothing_ like you.  You gotta trust me on this,” he forced out a laugh.  “I’ve known both of you.  And you couldn’t be more different.  Having you here, right in front of me, rather than the memory?  It’s so fucking obvious, and I’m pissed at _myself_ for even entertaining the idea that the other Sam gave a shit about me.”

“That’s the problem.”

Gabriel pulled away to see the conflict in Sam’s gaze, but he gave him the space he needed.  The time to find his words.  Because what problem could there be?  Eventually, Sam took in a deep breath, and lolled his head into the nook of Gabriel’s shoulder.

“The other Sam _did_ give a shit about you.  You were the only thing he honestly cared about.  You…fascinated him.  You satisfied him and he was drawn to you.  He couldn’t get enough!”  At the end, Sam’s voice was damn near a growl.

He scoffed, “Apparently, I didn’t satisfy him enough,” rubbing Sam's back.  “He used both of us.  I can’t even begin to understand how you feel, I—”

“I was the one that was supposed to tell you how I felt!  He took that away from me.  He took so many times with you away from me.  Shit, you told him that you loved him, Gabriel!  Where does that leave me?!” Sam demanded, his eyes wild and right up in the archangel’s face.  “This has messed me up so bad.  Because in times like that, I want to think we’re the same.  But the other things, I can’t even comprehend.  There’s no winning situation!”

“Dammit, Sam!  I love _you_!  You, the man right in front of me.  The one with a _soul_!  The one who faced down the Apocalypse and won!  The Sam with a heart, one that’s big enough to care about an asshole monster like me!  It’s always been about you.  Getting you back, rebuilding your soul, making sure Hell stays out, so maybe we can think about pushing this waking vessel thing out, too.”  Gabriel shook his head, urging him, “I’ve finally, fucking _finally_ , got you back.  I can’t lose you because of this douche bag that was walking around with your face.  Let him go.  Let me have you instead.”

Sam was stunned into silence, and he was shaking a little.  Who knew how long he’d been holding this in, which parts resonated first, which parts he was able to dismiss.  Obviously, Gabriel held a large piece of this puzzle, but if the archangel could rebuild his soul, build the gate to lock away the Cage, he could rebuild his courage.

Or, he prayed he could.

He knew Sam was resilient, but he was also loyal to a fault.  The fact that someone else had forced him (even though he’d been busy being tortured in the Cage) into infidelity and lying to Gabriel’s face was a punch to the gut.  And the fact that the first ‘I love you’ had been taken away from him, stolen out from under him, was painfully unfair.

Gabriel understood all these things.  Maybe he was to blame.  Maybe it was his own fault he couldn’t keep his hands off Sam, no matter the form, because he was just too taken.  Shit.  Was this his fault?  He could feel himself pale at the thought, because if he’d kept him at arm’s length, this _wouldn’t_ have happened—any of it.

Sam finally said, “You do have me,” and when he pulled them together again, stated, “You always have.”

This time, it was Sam who pressed their lips together and the fervor and intent behind his touch told Gabriel it wasn’t going to stop here.  Did it make him a horrible person that it was all he wanted?  To feel that Sam was real, that he still loved him, and he didn’t hate him for what happened.

Finally, Sam had shifted his way under the covers with Gabriel, and it was only then that the archangel realized he was only wearing a t-shirt and boxers.

With a grin, he asked, “Wow, I’m almost ready for you to have your way with me, huh?”

Sam snorted, his hands already wandering under the shirt.  “Stop it.  When I found you and hauled your ass to a motel, I didn’t know what shape you were in.  I wasn’t sure if you were tore-up, stabbed or what!  I needed to—”

“Oh, so I _was_ naked,” Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows and raised his hand to snap his fingers, “You little minx.”

As fast as lightning, Sam’s hand clamped down over Gabriel’s poised fingers and stopped him.  While the archangel frowned, Sam let out a quivering breath.

“No grace.  Just…us.  I don’t need you filling any gaps—you already did.  Okay?” Sam was trying to drive the point home with his puppy eyes, but Gabriel understood instantly.  That was why Gabriel began unbuttoning Sam’s flannel rather than making it just disappear.  With a sigh of relief, Sam smiled and said, “Maybe one day.  But yeah.  I got you naked.  And I was jealous about all the hickeys and marks all over your goddamn body.  You could’ve healed those in a flash.  But you didn’t.”

“I know for a fact,” Gabriel slid the flannel down Sam’s back and instantly hauled up and off the shirt underneath it, “that you, yes— _you_ , Sammy, have always liked to leave forget-me-nots.”  He stole a kiss, because Sam couldn’t deny it.  Whether he was soulless or not, it rang true.  “And that’s good, kid, you stopping me.  Don’t hold back from telling me if anything bothers you.  No grace, no problem.”

“Mm, it was good you were out for a week, you know.”  Sam shoved Gabriel down to the bed and clamped his mouth down on his neck, sucking his own mark.  “Your body healed.  Now, you’re a blank canvas for me.”

Gabriel would’ve purred if he was capable.  Instead, he arched up and ground their erections together, now that Sam had finally moved into a good position.  Sam moaned loudly, his teeth scraping Gabriel’s skin and he grabbed a fistful of the fabric riding up on Gabriel’s stomach.  There wasn’t anything elegant about the way Sam ripped it off, Gabriel may have even heard the fabric tear, but he had to remember—

This wasn’t _just_ Sam getting his soul back.  This was a _reunion_.    
  
The last thing Sam knew, Gabriel was dead.  To wake up with all these memories of your dead lover, parading around and having an intimate relationship with someone wearing your face—someone who thought it was you—but really wasn’t you?  It must have been a whole new kind of hell for Sam.  Which was why this was more important than Gabriel could comprehend.

He needed to treat it as such.  This wasn’t just another roll in the sheets, which Gabriel had unfortunately grown accustomed to with Sam, or who he’d had in front of him appearing as Sam.  While each time was amazing, more often than not it was down and dirty in all the right ways, but Gabriel told himself he couldn’t be a dick right now!  Bottom line.

Gabriel had to remember how high the stakes were, how fucked up his week had been without Gabriel to guide Sam through it, help explain what happened, leave Sam to tend to him in this human-coma-bullshit.  And dammit, as Gabriel ripped away Sam’s jeans, he couldn’t help but wish he had been there for Sam every step of the way.

Gabriel planned on making up for it right now.

Even though he didn’t have the advantage in the way of grace to make Sam’s head spin, he sure could use his words.

With a hand wrapped around Sam’s cock, his harsh breath beating against Gabriel’s chest leaving another mark, while his body was curved, Gabriel asked in a sultry demand, “Tell what you want.  I know you’ve been thinking about it, all alone in here, Sammy.  I know you’ve jerked off imagining something.  Tell me what fantasy I can make come true.”

His head shot up and his eyes locked with Gabriel’s as he rocked into his hand.  Sam was already overwhelmed, from their reunion, from touch after being starved for so long, lust and arousal radiated from his body but beamed in his eyes.  He returned to Gabriel’s lips, rearranging his grasp to overlap, now Sam’s hand covering Gabriel’s while he jerked both of their cocks, together.

“You’re gonna laugh,” Sam whimpered from the pleasure, still arching into the tunnel of their joined hands.  “I’d rather you take, Gabriel.  From my memories?  You seem to be pretty fantastic at doing that—”

“Nope.”  Gabriel rolled them around and put a distance between them instantly, even though Sam looked worried he’d just messed everything up.  Except, that was why Gabriel needed his undivided attention.  To make sure he knew that he hadn’t.  “This?  Us?  Well…I really, really  _hope_ there’s an us…I don’t want to run the show.  I know yer trigger shy, I mean, how could you not be?”

With a silent prayer, Gabriel knew that this lack of contact could go south, fast.  No matter when, what, or why, Gabriel’s fingers always ended up between Sam’s legs and it was usually because he begged for it.  As much as he needed to talk to him, he figured he could multi-task, circling Sam’s rim before he pushed in a (yep, there’s where the prayer came in) grace-lubed up finger.

Sam looked thrilled, and it quelled his fears because they were still moving forward.  Even though his chest was heaving harder, that didn’t stop him from replying—since ‘talking things through’ was kind of Sam’s thing.  “I want there to be an us.  So bad.  The only reason I asked you to take, was because that’s when it seemed like you were…happy.”

“Happy punishing a cheeky brat, maybe,” Gabriel scoffed with an eyebrow raised, “I’ve gotta feeling you’re lookin’ at things the way you want to see ‘em, rather than the way they really happened.  My happiness only came from pleasing you, now you gotta tell me, how can I make _that_ happen?”

In a tender moment, Gabriel brushed a kiss to Sam’s forehead and lingered, before he pushed in a second finger.  When Sam gasped and rolled his hips against the stretching, pumping digits, Gabriel felt the need to say, “You two are like night and day.  And…it’s been so long.  The situation’s kind of delicate, not that you’re delicate,” a wicked grin bloomed when he pushed against Sam’s prostate, earning a yelp to prove it, “But we’re starting over.  And that means _everything_.”

“Another, Gabriel, now!” Sam ordered, his body covered with sweat and he spread his legs like a dirty whore.  Shit, the archangel was practically salivating, but he wasn’t sure Sam was ready, but when a fistful of hair was grasped, Sam’s words resonated.  “Now!  Gabriel, you said we’re starting over, and I’m fine with that.  But I don’t want to forget where we started b-before you pulled that dumbass move and d— _Yes—_!”

Sam writhed against the twisting and scissoring fingers, his rim still too tight but his hole greedy and as hungry as he was.  God, he was stunning.  And what he wanted to keep on the playing field, well, Gabriel was surprised…

“You really want to remember me like that?”  There was a hint of disbelief, hoping to mask it with the way he was making Sam writhe and shout, “Can’t say I was anything to write home about.”

“Gabriel,” Sam lifted himself to his elbows and sucked in a breath, “Are you an idiot?  Do you need reminding?”  Clearly, he did.  “That was the you I fell in love with.   _So_ fucking _hard,_ that a soulless version of me thought he felt it!  Watching what happened between you two play out…I was jealous.  So goddamn jealous, because I wanted that to be me!  I wanted that time with you.  The attention, the love.  And if we have a completely new slate, I don’t have anything, and he walked away with all of you, all of your…” Sam shook his head and fell back to the bed.

“I get it,” Gabriel told him quickly, not wanting him to throw in the towel.  In fact, he ducked down to lap up the drooling precum from Sam's cock, where it had gushed down and pooled along the base.  The moans and buck of his hips was worth it, and Gabriel swallowed him down.  He kept his fingers inside Sam, though, because he still hadn’t answered the pivotal question:

“Sammy.  I’m all yours.  You’ve got all of me from now on.  Now, how do you want me?  How do you want me to have you?  Just say the word, it’s yours,” Gabriel pushed his fingers in a deep as he could, Sam reaching down to seize his wrist and stop him.

“God, I’m already close, Gabe!”  He held him in place, chewing on his bottom lip, and hesitantly said, “Can you…make sure I’m clean?  He—”

“Say no more,” Gabriel didn’t want Sam to have to push through and finish the sentence, although he admitted, “This is gonna take some grace, is that okay?”

Sam nodded adamantly, and Gabriel didn’t bother checking when he finally left Sam‘s body.  Mostly, because he knew he’d flip his lid if he found something.  It wasn’t as though archangels could catch any kind of, well, any human virus or disease,  but this was important to Sam.  So Gabriel went right on to the healing.  Maybe, even though Sam knew all this, it made him feel a little more pure.  He had been used, fucking constantly, if it wasn’t by the vessel, it was Michael and Lucifer, and anything Gabriel could do to make him feel a little more clean?  He’d do it in a heartbeat.

“Shiny and new, Sammy.  Even that, what?  Fractured rib and sprained ankle you had?  The hell?”  Gabriel’s brow screwed up in confusion.

“What can I say?”  Sam actually laughed out loud, “He was a hunting machine.”

“No shit, huh,” he shook his head, and Sam was steeling his resolve, Gabriel knew it, because he had to say something.

Sam knew Gabriel well enough, he knew that he was about to snap.  His cock was an angry red, aching and coated in precum, Sam was watching it and licking his lips, knowing the scene was set for Gabriel to fuck him into next week.  Dammit, he felt like he was going to blow!

He had to be proactive—he wouldn’t force Sam, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t duck forward, suck on the sensitive skin of his neck with a barely-contained ferocity (yep, there was his own mark) and let his cockhead tease between Sam’s legs.

It was choked, when Sam said, “Just like this, Gabriel,” and lifted his pelvis, maneuvering around that he actually caught Gabriel’s teasing against his well-stretched hole.  “Fuck, yes!” he rocked his hips forward and swallowed the tip, Gabriel unprepared and overwhelmed but it was perfect.

“You’re hungry for it, aren’t you?”  Gabriel gasped and had to rearrange himself, settle between Sam’s legs and gather his bearing, but his cock never left the tight heat.  Finally, now that he was set, he pushed forward and sunk into him.

And, oh, it was glorious.

Sam, underneath him like this, was a work of art.  The way he was spread out, the overflowing emotion in his eyes, and the fact that once they were flush he had to hold him like a lifeline proved the difference.

He wasn’t bent over, he wasn’t riding Gabriel, he wasn’t chasing an orgasm or pushing Gabriel to the brink.  What Sam wanted now was togetherness and closeness.  Intimacy, at its most vivid form.  Hell, it was something that felt downright heavenly.

Sam’s voice was uncertain when he said, “I want you to make love to me, Gabriel,” and kissed him passionately, despite the hesitant words.

Gabriel didn’t think twice about moving, now thrusting at a steady pace and making Sam moan.  But he couldn’t help but ask, “That can’t be what you thought I’d laugh about,” nibbling his jaw line, and hauling one of Sam’s legs over his shoulder.

Damn Sam and his height!  He needed to fold him as best he could because he refused to be kept away from his lips!  Even though the tight, vice-like grip of his ass was mind-blowing, Sam himself was the most intoxicating part of it all.  The way he touched him, hands greedy but not rough enough to break skin like before, mouth in a frenzy, needing to show intent rather than a bridge to get right to the fucking.

“Maybe?” Sam admitted, breathless when Gabriel man-handled his other leg over his shoulder.  “Gabe—so deep, I need more,” he rolled through his spine, trying to meet Gabriel’s thrusts, and pull him in closer, but from this position he didn’t have much power.

Which was perfect, because Gabriel wanted to take care of Sam.

He started to put a little more power behind the deep, long plunges, making sure to find Sam’s sweet spot and exploit it.  When their hands found one another, their fingers interlaced and they never let go.  That just so happened to be right above Sam’s head, pinning him down.  Everything was a show of trust, and Gabriel was worshiping Sam with each and every calculated move.

But what he just couldn’t comprehend…

“I wish you could see things from my side,” Gabriel moaned out, his own orgasm building up in his veins, “if you could see the way I look at you, the way I feel about you, heh.”  He shook his head, because it was all so ironic.  “In my own way, I was always making love to you, because I’d always give you what you wanted.  I always will, Sam.”

He could feel Sam, his energy, his build up rocking back and forth from the edge, but before he came Gabriel couldn’t help but ask, “Are you gonna say it?  K-know you said he took the chance away from you but…”  Shit, was Gabriel really going to cum first?!  “I love you, Sammy.”

Adrenaline took over, and everything turned into wild, fevered thrusts, slamming into Sam, their skin slapping together, their sweat intermingling.  It was only luck that had Gabriel filling Sam’s ass with cum, and feeling Sam’s hot release make their bodies glide together even more smoothly.  Sam had grabbed Gabriel’s chin and forced them together.

It was tongue and teeth, but in the way that you needed each other in a way you couldn’t explain, not in a purely sexual fight for dominance.  No, this was about getting as close as humanly possible.  Gabriel’s hips slowed, eventually from a shallow rock, to a stop but they never stopped kissing.

Because the second they did, the illusion was over, or at least that’s what Gabriel assumed Sam was worried about.  Even though there was no reason, the kid was probably in constant fear of fleeting moments and loss.

Gabriel figured it would be better to stay together in this bed, skin to skin, already tangled up, than have to do things the old-fashioned, physical way, but he had to be sure.

Breaking away from their now-languid kiss, Gabriel raised his hand poised to snap, gesturing to the mess and asked, “May I?  Not quite in the mood for a shower when I‘ve got you in bed.”

“Yeah, you may,” he emphasized it, with a roll of his eyes.  “You know what I meant.  You can use your grace like you usually do, like you want, just not…during sex.  Not like you did with...yeah."  Although, he did tack on a thoughtful, "Yet.”  

Sam made that addendum, like he could foresee himself changing his mind in the future.  Gabriel didn’t blame him, especially with seeing how Sam’s body could cum on the spot, with a well-placed brush of grace.  But, as with a lot of things, they’d have to take it slow.  Let Sam come around with his own time.

Still, the snap gave them an angelic-mojo scrub down was just the thing they needed.  Sam sighed happily and moved to rest on Gabriel’s chest, tracing his fingers over all the fresh marks.  “This is good.  It makes me feel better to know these are mine.  Really mine.”

“Always been _really_ yours, Sam.  Don’t know how many times I’ve gotta tell you.  When I wasn’t with your vessel, I was with the Cage, trying to get you out.”  Gabriel shivered when Sam brushed a certain, deep and bound-to-bruise bite.  “I—”

“How did you do it?” he was interrupted.

Oh.  Now that Gabriel thought about it, he never told the story.

“Death,” Gabriel answered flippantly, so Sam wouldn’t freak out.  Although his eyes doubling in size was comical.  “We had a chat.  Well, more like I begged like a sissy, but it worked in the end, right?  Only creature that’s strong enough to swoop in, besides Dad, wherever the fuck he is, would be Death.  I told him I wasn’t above getting the rings together and popping you out, that’s how desperate I was.”

“Gabriel!”  Sam didn’t know how he felt; whether it was scandalized, horrified, or eternally grateful.  “You—Death…I mean, _wow_.  Just…wow.”

“Yeah, well, when Cas tried to pull you out, he left a very pivotal part behind, which reminds me,” Gabriel shimmied to face him, now that Sam was up at arms.  “The reason I passed out.  The reason I was so drained…” with a nod to continue and an air of curiosity, Gabriel took in a breath.  “The state of your soul.  Holy fuck, it was shredded, kid.  Like a rag-doll, barely being held together.  I spent the better part of a day knitting you into, well, you.  But then, something that Death had told me needed to be done.”

“You put me back together?” Sam asked with a reverent whisper.  “I can’t...Gabriel, you didn’t—”

“’Course I did.  Your soul is unique, simply astounding. Seeing it like that, seeing _you_ like that?  I’d do it all over again, a million times, but that’s not the point.”  Sam was being good as he waited and Gabriel tried to keep his voice even, “The reason I was so drained.  Yeah, a little— _lotta_ bit of buffing the outside may have caused some strain, but you said you remember the address.  So you remembered me in your head.  I was in there for something important, and I need you to make me a promise right now.”

“How can I not?” Sam grabbed Gabriel’s waist, needing that connection, moving their legs together once more.  “You saved me.  In so many ways.  Say it, I’ll swear to it.”

“When we were in the field, I was trying to get you back on your feet, but I was also building a wall.”  The image was still fresh in Gabriel’s mind, and it shook him down to his core.  “You were so fucked up, Sam.  Everything was on fire, it was chaos and while I talked you down I made sure everything from the Cage was pushed back, and board by board, brick by brick, I constructed a barrier to section off, to hide away all your memories from Hell.  They...still exist, Sam, no one can press delete.  So no matter what you do, please; _don’t_ push against it, don’t scratch it, don’t even look at it if you come across it.  That was what did me in.  I worked so hard on that, so you wouldn’t have to relive what my family did to you.”

Stunned and nearly shocked into silence, Sam’s body moved on its own because Gabriel sounded so damn tired.  He cupped the archangel’s face, his thumbs lightly rubbing his cheekbones and he placed a single kiss on Gabriel’s lips.

Until now, until they spoke, Sam had no idea about any of this.

That was when he looked Gabriel in the eyes and said, “I love you.  So fucking much.  I-I can’t believe you did all this for me. You really never gave up hope, did you?  God, I never should have assumed, never should have thought you replaced me.  I was insecure and sucker-punched by what this asshole did, but it doesn’t matter.  I promise, Gabriel.”   He smiled genuinely and his eyes were filled with the love he’d finally voiced, Gabriel’s heart swelling from the words he was worried may never come.  “You were always in my corner.  You were always looking for a way to save me, and it’s because of _you_ that I’m here.  That the damage wasn’t too great, that I still have a fighting chance.”

Gabriel leaned in, pushing their foreheads together and relief washed over him.  “I’m so glad you can see it like it is.  I was worried, you know?  That I may have to get in your head and shove some’a my memories in there, if you were too stubborn,” he chuckled and clucked his tongue.  “But you’re too smart for that.  You know the truth, Sammy.  And now we can move forward.  God, I’m happy, and I love you, too.”

“Thank you,” Sam’s lips pursed against his brow.  “My smart-ass guardian angel, huh?”

“I’ll take that, better than ditching me, right?”

Sam smirked and this time, pulled Gabriel to his chest, “As if I could ever do that.  Obviously, no matter what version of me is walking around, I can never get enough.  Everything will be okay.  So long as I got you with me.”

“Now, I got nowhere to go.  You were my prize, kiddo.”  He groaned out dramatically, “Dammit I am so fucking sappy, it’s _disgusting_.  But it’s only because I was worried there for a second.  Thinking about a life without you, when you were literally a foot out of my reach?  If that wasn’t torture, I don’t know what is.”

“Neither of us have anywhere to go.  You can hunt with me,” Sam suggested with a burst of laughter, “Then every night, we’ll have this.”

“I like the second part of it!  But if it’s a two for one, I suppose I could deal.”  He spoke fondly, but then wondered aloud, “Are you gonna tell Dean-o you’re out of the box?”

“Maybe.  Just so he knows I’m all right.  I don’t want to disrupt him, you know?  Whatever happy life he has, or—”

“To be honest,” Gabriel already knew these things, so he could fill in the blanks, “he’s kind of miserable.  Had a thing with Cas for a while before he went AWOL.  Around the time he failed his search and rescue of you.  Now the little seraph is fighting a Civil War in Heaven against Raphael, and buddying up to Crowley.  Now, there’s no news yet, but with the feelers I put out and a little hint, I’ve got to put my money that the two bozos are trying to crack Purgatory.”

“Wait!  All of this is happening, and you were focused on _me_?!” Sam demanded, suddenly on guard.

“Duh.” Gabriel soothed him back down, even though it took a few tries.  Sam did not go easily this round.  “I fuckin’ told you.  All that sappy shit?  You, Sam Winchester, are my damn world.  So what?  I’m selfish.  I figured once I get you back, maybe we can sneak a peek at what’s going on.  But I didn’t have any plans on getting back into the game.  Not unless you were by my side.”  He shrugged and confessed, “I wasn’t gonna do much of _anything_ until I had you back by my side.”

“Woah.  Okay, this is just…a lot of information and a lot of things that I didn’t know.”  Sam calmed down and maybe Gabriel sent out the lightest, most undetectable wave of grace to soothe frayed nerves.

“And we’ll deal with it together.  How’s about I make that promise to you?” Gabriel tilted his head enough, captured Sam’s hand and placed a kiss in his palm.  “We can figure it out together.  But!  That’s gonna be once I‘m recharged, at least give me that, okay?!  Plus, I need to feel you next to me tonight while I get this gross-human sleep thing,” Gabriel began tucking them in, and saw Sam’s smug grin.  “What?”

“You.  Nearly human.  All you’ve got are a few parlor tricks, and I’m here protecting you for a change.  I’m not mad,” Sam teased him boldly as they turned off the lights.

“Oh, you’re not gonna be mad either, when I wake you up in the middle of the night demanding sex!” Gabriel rose to the challenge and lewdly humped Sam’s ass from where he was wrapped behind him, holding him.

Sam chuckled and craned his neck back for one more goodnight kiss.  “Don’t think I’ll be too mad.  Got some time to make up for, you know?  Too many memories I wanna wipe out and replace them.”  He actually rolled his ass backwards against Gabriel’s groin, “And there’s a lot…” Sam’s voice was pitched low and seductive, causing Gabriel to shiver.

“Hey!  No playing dirty yet!  I’d be all over you if I was at full-power, but us going for round two already?  Fuck, if it isn’t tempting, but we need to rest a _bit_ longer than that.”

“Gabriel, I’m disappointed in you!” Sam pitched his tone, aiming for fake outrage, “No round two yet?  Maybe I overestimated you—”

“You know what… fuck it!” Gabriel growled, the fire was already lit and it looked like no matter what: Sam was a mouthy brat.  He would _always_ be a mouthy brat.  And Gabriel would always need to put him in his place.   “This time, I _am_ taking control.  You better be good at following directions, Sammy.”

He looked exhilarated, thrilled and (more than anything) ready to go, “Hell yes, Gabriel.  I’m all yours.”


End file.
